Former Plantronics and Hewlett Packard Operations Executive Joins Seasoned Management Team to Strengthen Operations of Home Robotics Innovator

January 10, 2013– Neato Robotics®, a Silicon Valley company that pioneers new technologies and products to free people from household chores, today announced that operations veteran Larry Wuerz has joined the company as senior vice president of worldwide operations. Wuerz, a distinguished executive who has led global operations for some of the world’s most successful consumer electronics companies, will report to Neato Robotics CEO Warren Flick, effective immediately.

“Larry’s three decades of leadership and operational excellence at blue chip technology companies will be put to good use at Neato Robotics as we accelerate our growth plans,” said Flick. “He’s no stranger to fast product cycles, extraordinary competitive pressures, complex global supply chains and the need for relentless focus on costs. Larry’s expertise and leadership will be central to our future achievements and we are very pleased he’s joined our team.”

Most recently, Wuerz served for five years as senior vice president of worldwide operations at Plantronics, a $700 million public company that successfully delivers world-recognized high quality consumer electronics product to retail, online and business channels. He was responsible for worldwide operations and supply chain, direct management of factories and all aspects of cost, delivery inventory, quality, procurement and support, including responsibility for over 3500 employees in several facilities around the world.

Before Plantronics, Wuerz held numerous leadership positions at Hewlett Packard, including worldwide vice president of operations and supply chain for HP’s Desktop Personal Computer organization. Previously, Wuerz held the same title leading HP’s Consumer Desktop Personal Computer organization, where he helped grow the business from inception to the global market share leader. His extensive supply chain experience within the retail sector helped HP speed product cycles, reduce operational costs and adapt to competitive pressures.

“It was an easy decision for me to join Neato Robotics,” said Wuerz. “It’s exciting to be joining a world-class management team that’s bringing robotics into the home – and helping create a whole new breed of consumer technology for mainstream consumers.”

In addition to Wuerz’s operations roles at HP, he also served in senior positions in other functional areas, including research and development, and human resources. He holds an MSEE from Stanford University and a BSEE from the University of Missouri Rolla.

About Neato Robotics
Neato Robotics believes it is possible to create robots smart enough to perform household chores as intelligently and efficiently as a human. Neato is dedicated to improving consumers’ lives, allowing them to spend less time cleaning and more time with family and friends. Neato is driving innovation with products like the Neato Robot Vacuum that are smarter, more powerful, and more effective than anything previously seen on the market. For more information, visit http://www.neatorobotics.com/